Stud protectors



Nov. 7, 1961 F. T. FocHT ET AL 3,007,214

STUD PRoTECToRs Filed D90. l5, 1958 lliimggimmum ummglllllllw.

"1 "m INVENTORS.

FRANK T. FOCHT,

37 JAMES R. SIMS,

BY R|CHARD P. KNAPP, FIG. 4.

3,@@7214 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 3,007,214 STUD PROTECTORS Frank T. Focht, Bellaire, and .lames R. Sims and Richard P. Knapp, Houston, Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, rluisa, 01de., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 780,604 9 Claims. (Cl. 21--61) The present invention is directed to a stud protector. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a device for preventing mechanical thread damage to studs. In its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with protecting a stud from mechanical and corrosion damage while in storage or in installation.

The present invention may be described as a protector for threaded studs which comprises a plate member which has stud receiving means peripherally arranged thereon. The stud receiving means is formed to provide spaces for embracing and protecting the individual studs when the protector is placed on the studs. Means are attached to the plate member for holding the protector releasably on the stud. The plate member is formed to provide means such as a passageway uidly communicating with each of the spaces for injecting a protective uid into the spaces. The protector may have a sealing means such as a gasket arranged between the peripherally arranged stud receiving means and a member from which the studs protrude.

In the present invention it is contemplated that iirst and second plate members may be employed in a stud protector for protecting oppositely extending threaded studs, each of the plate members being provided with stud receiving means peripherally arranged on the inner side of each plate member with the stud receiving means being formed to provide spaces for embracing and protecting studs when the protector is placed thereon. When the protector comprises lirst and second plate members and stud receiving means, a flexible means attached to the inner sides of the plate members releasably holds the protector on the oppositely extending studs.

The present invention will be further described and illustrated by reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows the preferred embodiment arranged on a blowout preventer to protect the studs thereon;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a stud protecter in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the grease gun connection; and

FIG. 4 is a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3, numeral 11 designates a blowout preventer provided with opposite flanges 12 and 13 from which threaded studs 14 and 15 oppositely protrude.

'rb'iuanged to be placed on the threaded studs 14 and 15 are stud protectors comprised of a plate member 16 and stud receiving means 17, which are formed to provide spaces 18 into which the studs may be tltted. The upper stud protector, generally designated as A, is provided with a coaxial opening 159 for use as will be described further, while the lower stud protector B, is provided with an eyebolt 20 to which is attached by an eye 21 a shock cord or spring 22, which in turn is connected by suitable releasable eyes 23 and 24 to a wire rope or line 25, which extends through the opening 19 of the protector A.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the upper protector A is placed on the studs 14 and the lower protector B is arranged on the studs 15, the wire rope 25 having pulled the shock cord or spring 22 through the opening 19. The shock cord or spring 22 is in tension and releasably holds the upper protector A on the blowout preventer flange 12 while the shock cord 22 also releasably holds the lower protector B on the ange 13. The protectors A and B are releasably locked on the blow-out preventer 11 by inserting a locking pin such as 26 in the eye 23 of the shock cord or spring 22. The wire line 25 is then on the exterior of the blow-out preventer 11. Attached to the lower stud protector B by an eyebolt 27 is a second Wire line 28 which may be used to hold the protectors A and B from dropping when it is desired to release them by releasing the locking pin 26.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that a gasket or sealing means 29 and 3i) is placed on the flanges 12 and 13 respectively and with reference to FIG. 2 the gasket 29 forms a seal between the upper protect-or A and the ilange 12 while the gasket or seal 30 forms a seal between the lower protector B and the flange 13. The sealing means or gasket may be quite important when it is desired to inject a protective fluid such as a grease which may contain a corrosion inhibitor into the spaces 18 to protect the threaded studs such as 14 and 15. To provide for injection of grease into the spaces 18, fluid connection means are provided in the plate 16 which communicates liuidly with the stud receiving means 17 and the spaces 18 as will be described more fully with reference to FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that a fluid passageway or groove 31 is provided in the stud receiving means 17 which fluidly communicates with each of the spaces 18. Communicating with the iluid passage 31, which may be a suitable conduit, is a grease gun connection 32 which terminates on the exterior of the plates 16 such that a grease gun may be connected thereto to inject a fluid which may contain a corrosion inhibitor or other protective uids into the spaces 18 such that when the protectors such as A and B are connected to a member such as a blow-out preventer, the oppositely extending or protruding threaded studs are completely protected from the elements which may cause corrosion of the threads and from mechanical damage due to the blow-out preventer and the threaded studs coming into contact with objects.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a modified device of FIGS. 1 to 3 will -be described. In FIG. 4 numeral 35 designates a plate member which has a central recess 36. Attached to the plate member 35 is an eyebolt 37 for connection of a wireline to the exterior of the plate member 35. A second eyebolt "38 is arranged within the recess 36 for attachment of a shock cord or spring such as 22 thereto such as described with respect to lFIGS. 1 to 3. Attached to the plate member 35 and arranged peripherally thereon are a plurality of tubular members 39 which enclose and define spaces 40 into which the individual threaded studs of a member such as blow-out preventer 11 may be arranged for embracement and protection, In other words, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, rather than the stud protecting means being an integral member formed to provide spaces 1S, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, individual stud receiving means are peripherally arranged on the plate member 35 to receive the individual studs.

The device of the present invention may suitably be constructed of aluminum, plastic, wood, ferrous metals and the like; for example, a device such as FIG. 4 was constructed from plywood and 'r11/2 inch black pipe to iit a 12 inch, 30G() pounds per square inch working pressure studded llange on a blow-out preventer. Four thicknesses of 5% inch plywood were glued together and the center cut out to reduce the weight and form a recess such as 36. Holes were then drilled in the plywood and 6 inch lengths of 11/2 inch pipe were pressed into the holes leaving approximately 3 inches of the pipe exposed. Finally apiece of 3/8 inch plywood was `glued on the side opposite the exposed ends of the pipe to close them as shown in FIG. 4. A hole about 2 inches in diameter was cut in the 3A; inch plywood on one protector such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 while two 3%; inch eyebolts were installed on the other protector as shown in FIG. 4. About 5 feet of A inch wireline was attached to the eyebolt 37 as in FIG. 4 and a length of inch shock cord which acts as a spring, was attached to the eyebolt such as 38. The stud protectors such as in the modification of FIG. 4 were then employed to protect the threaded studs on blow-out preventers and used as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The blow-out preventer was lowered within a conned space with the protectors such as A and B arranged thereon as shown in FIG. 2 and the protectors A and B prevented damage to the threaded studs. Thereafter, when the blow-out preventer was in place, the protectors A and B were released by removing a locking pin such as 26 and then the protectors such as A and B were retrieved by the wire lines 25 and 28.

The present invention is of considerable importance and utility in that it prevents mechanical thread damage while handling or in transit to threads on exposed studs and also prevents damage to the threaded studs while members such as blow-out preventers are in storage. In off-shore operations where equipment is exposed to salt water and atmosphere containing corrosive media, the device of the present invention is quite important, advantageous, and useful.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated what we wish to claim as new and useful and secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A protector adapted for placement on threaded studs protruding from a ange member which comprises a plate member, stud receiving means peripherally arranged on said plate member, said stud receiving means being formed to provide separate spaces for embracing and protecting said studs, and means coaxially attached to said plate member relative to said plate member for holding said protector releasably on said studs when said studs are separately inserted in said spaces.

2. A protector in accordance with claim 1 in which the coaxially attached means is a spring.

3. A protector in accordance with claim y1 in which the coaxially attached means is a shock cord.

4. A protector adapted for placement on threaded studs protruding from a ange member which comprises a plate member, stud receiving means peripherally arranged on said plate member, said stud receiving means being formed to provide separate spaces for embracing and protecting said studs, means coaxially attached to said plate member relative to said plate member for holding said protector l releasably on said studs when said studs are separately inserted in said spaces, and means formed within said plate member uidly communicating with the spaces of said stud receiving means for injecting a protective uid into said spaces.

5. A protector adapted yfor placement on threaded studs protruding from a tianve member which comprises a plate member, stud receiving means peripherally arranged on said plate member, said stud receiving means being formed to provide separate spaces for embracing and protecting said studs, means coaxially attached to said plate member relative to said plate member for holding said protector releasably on said studs when said studs are separately inserted in said spaces, means formed within said plate member iiuidly communicating with the spaces of said stud receiving means for injecting a protective fluid into said spaces, and sealing means `adapted to be arranged and seal between said peripherally arranged stud receiving means and the flange member from which said studs protrude.

6. A protector for oppositely extending threaded studs protruding from opposed flange members which comprises tirst and second plate members, stud receiving means peripherally arranged on the inner side of each of said plate members, said stud receiving means being formed to provide separate spaces for embracing and protecting said studs, and means coaxially attached to the inner sides of said plate members relative to said plate members for holding said protector releasably on said oppositely extending studs and flange members when said studs on each of said tlange members are separately inserted in the spaces of the stud receiving means of one of said plate members.

7. A protector in accordance with claim 6 in which means are provided for releasably locking said coaxially attached means to said protector.

8. A protector in accordance with claim 1 in which the stud receiving means is an annular member.

9. A protector in accordance with claim 1 in which the stud receiving 4means comprises a plurality of cylindrical members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,782,150 Shrum Nov. 18, 1930 1,837,169 Mazurie Dec. 15, 1931 2,898,944 Seward Aug. 11, 1959 

